2010 Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell launched

Mercedes-Benz has introduced and commenced production of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell. It’s being built to a limited production run of just 500 and only available in countries such as France, Germany and the Netherlands.

It’s the third electric car Mercedes-Benz has brought out, following the B-Class F-Cell and the hyper SLS AMG E-Cell. In contrast to the SLS E-Cell, the A-Class is a little bit toned down in terms of performance capabilities but still offers the same advanced lithium-ion battery pack technology.

Two lithium-ion batteries with 36 kWh storage capacity provide the electric motor with a peak power output of 71kW and a constant power output of 51kW. It’s all backed by a cooling system as well. Using a water-glycol mixture, the battery pack is kept at a stable running temperature. This helps with longevity and also helps with short-term range.

Once the vehicle is fully recharged, the batteries provide enough energy for a range of 200km. That deosn’t sound like much, but the car can use both a single phase 230-watt socket for recharging and three phase 230-volt socket, depending on availability. This means the car be recharged at home in a conventional power socket – taking about eight hours for a complete replenish, and three hours using a roadside recharging station; available in the selected parts of Europe where the car will be sold.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell also comes with a usual range of luxury features typical to the A-Class range.